8 Skin Care Tips for Women of Color During Winter

If you have darker skin tones, you tend to have more irritation and skin dryness alongside. People of color are more susceptible to the effects of any weather that draws moisture out, which can lead to rough feeling skin. Here are some tips recommended by dermatologists to keep healthier skin and stay hydrated during the cold months.

Protect your Skin Daily

There can be clouds in the sky and dermatologists still recommend using daily sunscreen. Just because you might not feel the heat, does not mean the sun is not subtly affecting your skin. Every individual could benefit from this no matter what color. Make sure to include your more sensitive areas that are more visible like your lips, ears, and face.

Purchase Supportive Clothes

Being prone to skin conditions already puts you at a disadvantage so if you are, and especially one of color, it is vital to have clothes which protect your skin and are as gentle on the body as possible. Skip the thicker varieties that make you scratch and purchase things that are cotton and made from mostly natural things.

Search out Helpful Products

Adding in products to your home that assist in the fight against skin irritation is one thing you can do to easily see how they help. Humidifiers work well to put back any moisture in the air available, essentially all that is taken out when you use heaters to stay comfortable.

Do not Skin Care

Use a moisturizer that is lightweight and do not listen to the hype that they will only make you oily. As your body senses the dryness, it over produces oil to neutralize your skin; take away that need when you keep your skin properly soothed in the first place. It is all about a healthy balance to keep your skin smooth and supple.

Reduce your Shower Time

Taking showers with waters more on the cold side than hot, and making them shorter and more basic, will greatly help your skin with irritation. Hot water mixed with air that does not replace the needed wetness on your skin turns you rough quickly. One doctor recommends only a brief five to ten minute shower daily which should help cut back on the loss of liquids in your body.

Use Lotions and Moisturizers

After showering or being outdoors, it is important to use products to lock the moisture in your skin which will reduce dryness. Dr. Elbuluk says to do it while you are still damp as that will leave the most possible to be absorbed by your body, a very important factor. Use lotions with ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid as they are thicker in consistency and generally work faster.

Limit Outdoor Elements Exposure

If you enjoy being outdoors frequently and doing the activities associated with the cold weather, take care to note how long you expose your skin. Darker toned individuals are simply more prone to getting hit with the negative effects first. It is essentially ‘freezer burn’, a version of sunburn and requires the same aftercare.

Toss your Fancy Soaps & Go with the Basics

Even as you love how you smell after you use your smelly soaps, they could actually be harming your skin rather than giving it care. They remove necessary oils which are already on the low side during harsher weather. Use a gentle soap that gets the job done and add on the scent you like later with a simple perfume instead, allowing you to preserve your natural oils.